The Stranger's Touch
by Romeno
Summary: It is a race for a young teen’s life as he runs from an evil corporation bent on bring him in but what for, and what so special about him. Starts just a mouth after X-men United
1. SunRise

EXCLAIMER: Marvel holds all rights to X-Men, any characters or name mention in this story. Only the character of the "Stranger" who will be name in a later chapter, the "bad guys" and the story it self are original idea of my.

It was a beautiful summer evening at the Xavier School for the gifted. The sun was just setting, on the second floor balcony over looking the city. Rogue in a long sleeve green top and brown cargo pants stands there staring out at the sunset, which the reds, oranges, and yellows seem to blend into the horizon.

"How long were you there, Professor?" Rogue turns her head slightly enough that she can barely can see over her shoulder. "Long enough to realize some things wrong" the Professor Xavier rolls onto the balcony right next to Rogue.

"Its….its nothing, Professor, just wondering what if that's all." She slowly looks towards the Professor. "I can still feel his lips against my own. How I told him that we'd travel to New York to see the statue, its just weird how I can still hear him."

The Professor brings his hand together as if to ponder something "I see, you can't shake that out of your mind, can you?"

The sun finally sets and the stars begin to pop out like a fire fly in the middle of a meadow. "Rogue you mustn't let this rattle you like this" The Professor turns his chair.

"You don't understand, I could touch him and nothing would happen. I was actual able to show the physical part of love to someone without….hurting them and now…he's gone." Rogue drops to her knees crying wrapping her arms around the professor.

"Don't worry, Rogue everything will be O.K. This will make you stronger but sometimes it's alright to have a good cry."

Mouth Early…..

It was a bright starry night on the outskirts of the city. It was anything but quite, the air being filled with cries of help and a short burst of gunfire. A man wearing a pair of goggles on the top of his head and his outfit consists of red muscle shirt and blue bell-bottom jeans with stars going up the sided of one pant leg, along with a small black backpack. He ran among the trees for hours trying to get away. Men wearing purple and gray outfits with the letters S.R.P patched across their chests. Just as he jumped a small fallen tree, a bullet hits him in the shoulder causing him to fall down a hill.

"I think I got him", one of the soldiers stops and points. The other soldier speaks into the radio on his shoulder

"Alpha zero reporting target has been wounded, proceeding to acquire target". The soldier points in the opposite soldier to start heading another direction as he heads towards the fallen tree. Behind a tree, the boy hides trying not to scream out in pain from the bullet that just went thought his left shoulder. In the distance, he can see a mansion with its lights on. Just all of sudden a deer runs across his field of view, getting the two soldiers attention

"Look, he's running for it", the soldiers start running after the deer. "Now's my chance", he gets up and starts running for the mansion holding his shoulder. As he reached the bottom of the hill, he sees the huge brick wall and Iron Gate.

"No, not now, I made it this far I can't let them catch me." The front gate begins to open and a car is pulling out. Seeing this he ducks behind a bush nearby. Just as the car pulls away, the gate begins to close. He runs and dives for it just beating the gate, this time landing on his shoulder letting out a small yep in pain. He gets up a little slower than before, the pain is almost blinding and the lost of blood is slowly weakling him as he struggles to reach the door. As he finally reaches the door, he leans against it letting his head fly back hitting the glass. Blood not only dripping from his shoulder but the back of his head and his hands, with his back against the door he reaches for the door bell with his right hand. From inside you hear voices.

"I'll get it." Rogue opens the door and the strange boy comes tumbling in ripping her white shirt and gloves off while somehow landing on her legs. Rogue screams from the sudden scare. Logan accompanied by Storm rush in to the foray .

"What's wrong child, what happen?" Storm kneels next to them in her white dress careful not to get it bloody. "Rogue, are your alright?" Storm looks at Rogue but she does not respond, Storm begins to reach for her shoulder but notices that her glove and right sleeve to her shirt, was ripped somehow. "Rogue, don't worry. Not one part of your body is touching him. Logan come over here and pick up the boy."

Storm waves Logan over. Logan shuts the door, begins to pick up the boy, and gives a slight groan. "Storm, this boy has a slug in his shoulder. You think he's a banger?" Logan starts to head towards to the medical room at the end of the hallway.

"I don't know, Logan but what ever he is he's losing a lot of blood. Rogue are you alright child?" Storm begins to help up Rogue.

As she helps up Rogue, the Professor rolls in with Scott "Storm what happened, I hear Rogue scream. Why is she all bloody?" Scott begins to walk over to Rogue but is stop by the Professor

"Scott go to the medicinal room Logan needs your help restraining a boy. Storm take Rogue their also so she can get checked out" Scott rush off while Storm, Rogue and the Professor are right behind him.

In the medical room, you see the boy fighting Logan's hold on him. Hank tries to get close but the boy kicks him away. Scott rushes in seeing this and tries to grab his legs. Instead is kick in the face, sending him bumping into Logan loosing his grip just effect that the boy gets his arm free and punches Logan in the balls. This sends him keeling over grabbing himself in pain. The boy rolls of the table and into a corner. Grabbing his bag, he gets a surgical knife out of it and starts swinging it around. Logan and Scott start coming to their feet, "Just calm down man, we're not going to hurt you." Scott moves forward just a little before being stop by the Professor

"Scott wait", the Professor slowly comes toward the boy who has become more frantic by every inch gained by the Professor.

"Get back I mean it!" It seems as if he was losing all energy as he slowly started to settle down and fall to the floor.

"Hurry, get him on the table." The Professor stops.

"He passed out from excursion." Hank places a blood pressure machine on the boy's arm.


	2. I'm just human

EXCLAIMER: Marvel holds all rights to X-Men, any characters or name mention in this story.

Reference: From here on out the story will have Journal Entries which will be display like this _Journal Entry in story _this is to give you the point of view of one of the major characters, and anything written like this **Mind **their talking in a mental conversation.

The boy awakens inside a dorm room. He knew the room was vacant because of how the other beds were made all nice and neat, he tries to get up for a second before feeling woozy and falling back onto the bed. His head and arm are wrapped in bandages both of which were blood stained. He slowly rolled over to his side to check for the bag, which was open. Grabbing the bag and pulling it on to the bed to check it out he pulls out a set of cloths and a book. He unwrapped his arm, grabs a pen, and opens the book.

_Day 44_

_I ran into some trouble late last night. Some how the O.S. caught up to me but I was able to get away somehow but not without injury. I stumbled across this institute somewhere in New York. It seems like a nice place and the people must be nice because I would have thrown my ass out in the street after what I did. So far, I know that the project won't continue without the sentinel so I should be able to keep the papers away from him long enough. When this is all over, I am going to take Harrison by the throat and choke the life out of him, making him suffer the way I did, making him watch his life fade away from him with each breath he tries to take. Make him remember that she was his daughter and she was my love…_

He stops writing to look out the large bay window that seems to bath the room with light. The room was plain with oak walls, white carpet, and a few pictures hanging in wooden frames with gold trim. There was six-signal bed with chests sitting at the end of each bed. The room was large with dresser and nightstands made of hickory that was scatter here and there. The book bag lying on the bed had the journal on top of it as he was changing out of his red muscle shirt. There was stitches were the bullet had went through, very slowly he trance the lines the stitches made in his arm feeling ever strain. Letting out a soft groan he begins to put on a blue shirt that he had set out for himself. Once the shirt was on, he reached into his bag and pulled out a small star shaped pendent. Careful not tangle it he stairs at it, his eyes glisten for a moment before the tears started welling up. He put the charm around his neck and walks over to the window over looking the courtyard. He was stunned at the sight of its beauty but was complied to look

"I hope you weren't thinking of leaving out that way, I believe that's a 3 story drop." A bald man wearing a gray suit enters the room in a wheel chair accompany by a two women, one with shoulder length white hair wearing a yellow sundress and the other seeming about the same age as the boy she had brown hair tide back with a white strike through it. She was wearing a long sleeve shirt with black gloves and blue jeans that had to have been bought at the Gap. The boy turns to face them, letting his right hand reach for his shoulder once again.

"I wouldn't even think of it", He gives a slight smirk and goes sit down on the bed.

"We haven't been properly introduced, this is Ororo Munroe and this young lady here is Rogue, she the one that found you last night. I'm Professor Charles Xavier and this is the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters."

"I'm sorry about that, I got into some trouble", he looks away. "I better leave I don't want to be a burden to you. Thank you for taking me in."

He grabs his backpack without realizing it was still open and everything flies all over the floor. CDs, pens, pencils and a folder, on the folder it say in big bold red letter W. Stryker, J. Harrison: Sentinel Project. He drops to the floor and starts grabbing for everything.

"I'm so clumsy, sorry about this", he looks over and see the professor looking down at the folder next to his wheel chair. "Just let me get this and I'll be on my way", he grabs the folder and stuffs it in his bag. Getting up from the floor, he nearly trips over the wheel chair but running into Ororo instead.

"Wait, what's wrong you don't have to go so soon. Maybe we can help you, child." The professor turns his chair to face him. The boy tries to go around Ororo but she steps in his way.

"You can help me by telling her to move out of my way", he looks up at Storm clinching his bag tightly. She steps aside and he begins to walk away.

"What are you afraid of, that has you running scared. Does it have something to do with William Stryker?" He stops dead in his track and turn to face Rogue, who is staring back at him. "Let us try and help you, if we can't then you can leave." Rogue looks at the professor to see if was all right to say that.

The boy begins to laugh, "Who the hell are you, and how do you know William Stryker?" He slowly begins to reaching into his bag.

**Let say we had our run with him once before, and we weren't on good terms then or now**. The professor rolls over to the boy, "So will you let us help you now?"


	3. In the Heat of the Night

I just want to thank everyone that R&R my story I hope you like this chapter I think its going to rock the X-world. So on with the show…

"What the hell do you mean that there's machines that hunts mutants." Logan slams his fist on the desk near Professor Xavier. It was a bright sunny day as the sun shined through the window open to the garden of the mansion. The room was an office with a large golden brown desk and computer that seem to blend in seamlessly. The Professor was sitting behind the desk, focusing on nothing in particular. Their were two other men the room besides the Professor and Logan

Scott flips though the file, "It says it right here. Its like they've been planning on getting rid of mutants for a while, since the statue incident." Scott throws the file onto the desk in front of Logan as he walking toward the window, "How did the boy get the file? How are we support to act when we don't know anything about this guy or who he is."

"James Harrison is the man that developed the experiment call the Cure, which was to cure mutants of their aliments but it end up killing them. 40 subjects, 40 died bodies all of which had families that were so upset they sue him causing him to shut down the experiments." Hank stood up from his chair and walked toward the desk and pick up the file

"Later it was said, that Stryker employed him to continue with the experiments but in a different direction. That is what the boy told me. Right now, Rogue is giving our guest a tour of the mansion and later tonight hopefully he'll explain how he got it but until then we have to common down and focus on the problem at hand, which is our students." The Professor roll from behind his desk and headed towards the door.

In the garden…

"This maze was built by Storm and Logan", Rogue pointed towards the opening of the maze as they both passed by it. The garden was beautiful with all the wild flower and purple orchids all over bring the garden to life

"So this is a school for mutants, not one person here, is…normal?" He looks down at the ground for a moment then scratches at the back of his neck

"Yeah, well not everyone out there would accept us for who we are." Rogue stops and turns to face him. "You of all people should know that, I mean Stryker kidnapped you and held you prisoner." She stops and places her hand on her head as if she had a headache. "I'm sorry; one of the flaws of my mutation is that when I touch someone I take their abilities, their memory and personality. At times, those personalities come out with me realizing it. That's why I wear gloves all the time, to protect myself from that happening."

He stand their stunned and wide eyed at what he just saw, "Heh, yeah you must be great at parties then. I think I we should continue with the tour." They both continue walking through the garden till they came across a basketball court and some teens playing. "Its must stinks sometimes, that you can't touch anyone, must get lonely."

"Well I have Bobby and all my friends here to help me cope, even thought I can't physical touch anything I still experience the world in my own special way."

"My name is Terry, but my friends call me Star," he points to the necklace with the star charm. "I was a DJ at Philly nightclub for teens called Diamond, before I got drag into this. I got the nickname Star because of that British song call Starfire. I was just starting out there at the club and I hadn't developed a name yet. I mix a few records then spun in that song and the crowd went wild and started chanting Star, so the name stuck with me ever since." Terry give Rogue a smug look and start walking with a little pep in his step.

"Woo there sugar', don't go getting a big head now", they both begin laughing.

Later that evening…

All the X-men gathered in the living room. The room was in the front to the mansion, which seems to be most elegant, from the large fireplace to the bookshelves and swayed couches it had a claiming feeling to it. The Professor was in front of everyone in the dimly lit room. Terry and Rogue enter the room, "What is this, I thought professor that you and me were suppose to talk privately?" Terry looks around at everyone in the room in.

"I think its time you answer some questions, 'Bubb. Like what's your name?" Logan stands up.

"Logan, were not here to scare the boy. I'm sorry but the information that you gave us, seem a bit surreal to be true." Scott walks over from the bookshelves and sit down in the arm chair.

"Scott is right, I was kind enough not to search your mind for answers but you need to tell us what going on", the Professor rolls over to the boy as Rogue and Logan take a seat.

"Ok, well I'll start from the beginning, my name is Terry. About five mouths ago, I was dating this girl name Jessica Harrison at my school, Belleview High. Her father was a Raciest so he didn't like the idea that his daughter was dating a black guy. We started dating in secret never letting her father no what was going on. We got really close, close enough that she shared her secret with me. She was a mutant, I'm still not sure what her abilities were, but part of it involved her being able to fly. One night, we stayed out a little late and she had to sneak in, I kissed her goodnight and she flew up to her second story window. I think her father was watching us because the next thing I know we're waking up in this weird facility somewhere in some tip of cantonment unit or something. He keep saying 'that I done this to her, that I infected her with this mutant disease.' He tortured me for days, trying to find out what I did to change her. That fact is I wasn't a mutant, but I went along with it as long as they focus on me not on her, I was fine."

"You mean that you were we're protecting a mutant because you love her", Logan was wide eyed in amazement. "Are you hearing this, Professor? This is a bunch of bullsh.."

"He's telling the truth, Logan." The Professor places his hand on the Terry's shoulder, "Please continue."

"He tried all kinds of experiments on me but none of them paned out. He was getting up set, so one night after tortured me, they throw me back into the cell. Last thing I remembered was her whisper in my ear 'Thank you' and something else I can't remember. I woke up the next morning the cell was open, she was dead and this Star necklace was in my hand. I grabbed a bunch of files that had our information and ran. I've been running ever since", his hand starts to shake.

"Its ok, there was nothing you could do." Storm takes the boys hand, "She in a better place now, safe, sound and looking after you."

"I still can't get past the fact that he murders his own daughter because he thought you turned her into a mutant. Just that shire fact blows the mind in ways unimaginable." Hank places his paws together as if pandering something.

"This project that Harrison created involves this machine called Master Mold, which develops these mutant hunting robots. All I want is to destroy these files and kill Harrison with my own bare hands, but these files are the only thing that can prove that there are crazy people out their holding there very own Salem witch trials." Terry looks at the Professor.

"We'll try to help you find peace of mind but kill is not what we do," Scott gets up.

"We crave people new one though," Logan clutches his fist popping his claws

Terry leaves the room heading towards the kitchen, everyone is still talking in the room but no one notices him leave expect Rogue. She gets up and follows him, through the kitchen and out the back door. The sky filled with stars and a full moon, each star glowing and shimmering like pebbles in a pond. As she approaches him sitting on the back step, she can hear him crying. She wants to say something but doesn't know what to say. "I never really had a chance to think about what happened to her, it's like a bad dream that I keep dreaming over and over again."

She places her hand on his shoulder, looking up at the sky and seeing a shooting star streaking across lighting up the sky. "I wish I could say more but all I can say is that I'm sorry." He takes off the necklace and looks at it.


	4. Everything Burns Sometimes

I just want to thank everyone for bearing with me while I try to complete this chapter. I claimed that the last chapter would rock your world and personally I feel it fell short as I look back at it. So I'm hoping this chapter will make up for it.

EXCLAIMER: Marvel holds all rights to X-Men, any characters or name mention in this story. Except for the characters created by me :P well on with the show

As the stars shined and Terry looked at his necklace, he remembers her face. How soft it was and how warm it felt the first day he touched it. As Terry rose to his feet he startled Rogue, who was staring at the stars.

"I'm going to get some sleep; I think you should do the same." He wipes away the tears that were coming down his face. Rogue just looks at him.

"Don't worry, you couldn't help her but at least you can help her now by stop Harrison from killing all the mutants in the world. I think that's something she would have wanted at least." Rogue lowers her head to look at him. She could feel how much pain he was going through, the team is still going through that same pain of loosing someone, loosing Jean. He enters the house and passes Bobby who is coming out the same door.

"Is everything alright, Rogue? You look upset." He seems to always know when something was wrong with her, ever since that day in the jet when they almost died. They held each others hand while the pain rush over there bodies, forcing each other to watch each other slowly faded away. She just nodes her head and goes back to looking at the stars.

"Come on, you can tell me." He moved close to her to let her feel his presents. He wants to reach out and grab her hand but he knew it wouldn't have been the same.

"I just don't get it, we've been through the same thing yet I feel that he has nothing to live for anymore. He saw a future with that girl and the fact that it was taken away because a case of a racist and mistaken identity." At this point he knew what she was talking about but it was the way she felt about it. There's was know real reason for her to feel that way except for the bond her and that boy shared. "He going through this like it's his own personal war against this guy", she lowers her head to look over her shoulder towards Bobby, "and he won't let this go till he stop him completely."

Bobby rubes his hands together and crakes his knuckles, "I don't know what to say to that but is that how you truly feel or is it him?" He looks at her and notices a stunned reaction. "I know this is just paranoia but ever since he touched you that day, he seemed to be the only thing on your mind. The interesting thing about all this is the fact that you said your skin never touched his. You said so, yourself but you still know everything about him, like he implanted to on you or something." Rogue could hear the frustration in his voice.

"Bobby, don't worry I still care for you, this'll pass, I promise." Rogue turns around and faces Bobby, but he begins to walk away. "Bobby, come on."

"Rogue, I'm sorry. I'm just worried that's all, after hearing that story I feel like that could happen to us and…I just don't want to lose you, that's all. We both understand the risks involved but it's like he say if I every lost you I would want to kill who ever did too, with my bare hands." Rogue walks up behind Bobby who is now in the middle of the kitchen and places her hand on his hand that's clutched in a fist.

"You won't loose me, ever." She place her other hand over his mouth and kisses it then heads towards the living room.

The Next Day…

It was about mid-morning and everything seems almost quite in the mansion except for the 3 girls out in front of Terry's door. There all look through the door partially ajar "So who is he? Know one really told us who he is yet, we see him around and he's always keeping to himself." One girl says while moving back to putting on make-up.

One of the other girls looks at her and giggle, "Yeah well, I can see why? With all that make-up on you look like animal, Karen. No offence, Liz." She looks at the girl next to her that has cat like features.

"None taken, Kim...wait look he's taken off his shirt." Liz waves over the other two and they rush over. "He really cute, I wonder if he's taken?" She sits back and begins to check herself. "How do I look, girls?" She stands up so the other two can get a good look at her. The other two stand up as well but with a stunned look on there faces and they both began to point at her. "What do I have something on my face?" She licks her paw and rubes it across her face.

"Hi, Rogue. Heh, what are you doing here." Karen stretches her arms and pulls Liz over to her. Rogue stands there with a raised eyebrow, looking at the group of girls.

"Well, when I saw you, girls, went in front of Logan's or Scott's door, I decided to check on our guest. What are you doing?" she points toward the door.

The girls begin to blush, "We were just checking out the new guy, that's all." Karen looks at the others to see nodes of approval.

"Yeah and he's really hot, wow." Kim starts waving her hand in front of face as Liz giggles.

"You know, you two are real stupid, you know that." Karen places her hand over her face in embarrassment. "Sorry, Rogue but Kim is right, for once. Who is he?" She peeks in the door once more.

"He's a friend of mine that's all you need to know. Don't you have horse back riding lessons or something today?" She pushes the girls away from the door.

"It's a Saturday." Liz points to the clock on the wall that shows the date, time and what day it is.

"Well go to the mall then. It's a nice day you shouldn't be stuck inside." She stops pushing and points, the girls start to walk towards the stairs. She turns around and walks towards the door knocking before entering. "Your developing quit the fan club out of the girls here at the school." She closes the doors behind her but it creeps open to reveal the girls are back. Terry just sits there writing in his journal.

_Day 45_

_It's been a while since I had a good cry. Late last night I told the x-men the whole story and so far there willing to help me. As weird as it sounds I don't think they can. I mean they are mutants and all but to tell you the truth, these guys know what their doing and won't stop until they have me and file. Since I've been here, I've felt like I'm changing slowly but its change nonetheless. Once I got here my headaches been getting stronger, so has the intense burn all over my body. Only time it seems to go away is when Rogue is around. It's strange, it was the same way with Jessica, when ever she was around the pain went away. Know that I shouldn't be saying this but I think I'm starting to fall for Rogue. Once I saw her I just saw beauty at its finest but is this part of her powers or is it me. The way I feel towards her its so familiar to me I want to say its lo..._

He just notices Rogue just walked in so he slams the journal close and grabs a shirt. "I didn't hear you come in." He places the journal on the bed and gets up to put on the shirt.

"I just came by to see if you wanted to go to the mall or something?" She walks towards him but trips over the rug and starts falling forward into Terry causing them both to fall on to his bed. Landing on the bed it causes his journal to fly into the air and land on the other side of the bed wide open to the page he was writing on. As Rogue starts to pull back she stops inches away from Terry's face. They end up staring at each other closely, watching to see what the other does. Terry moves his hands from her shoulders to her arms as if to help her up but it ends up bring her closer to him there lips nearly touching. Rogue doesn't resist, she know he wants to kiss her but he afraid of what she'll do afterward. There breathing begins to slow with each moment as if get comfortable being this close to each other. The clothing that his hands went across seems to disappear as if burnt away and reappear like nothing happen. Both of his hands are touch her somehow bare skin but they don't notice. Rogue lowers her head allowing there lips to touch but just barely to see what happens. A strong cooling sensation comes over her body but she doesn't want to pull away, Terry rises his head a little to start kissing back. Rogue is engulf in the moment with her mutant powers seem not to work, she pulls back and takes off her glove. He begins to speak but she places her gloveless hand over his mouth feeling the curve of his lips with her hand. She smiles in amazement at the fact as she slides her hand over to his cheek then begins kissing him once more.

"What is she doing her powers are going to kill him." Karen sits back along with the others.

"Have you girls seen, Rogue" Bobby looks down at the girls sitting in the door way of Terry's room. He notices the door was cracked open and sees what happening in the room. Stepping over them he pushes the door open causing it to slam against the wall. "What are you doing to my girlfriend?"

Terry and Rogue startle stop kissing and move away from each other.

"Bobby, calm down." Rogue grabs her glove and puts it back on. Bobby grabs her by the arm and pulls her away from Terry, putting her behind him. "Bobby…" The part of sleeves where Terry had his hands reappears.

"Sorry, man. I didn't mean for this to happen" Terry stands up but Bobby walks over and push back down landing on his back again. "You don't know who your messing with, just stop it and calm down, ok?" He gets up again but this time in Bobby's face.

"Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" Bobby clutches his fist and it turns into ice. Rogue sees this and tries to calm him down.

"Bobby, just wait a minute. Think about what your about to do." She steps to the side of him and places her hands on his face. "Look at me…"

He pushes her hands away before she could say anything. "Don't speak to me. You said there was nothing between you two. You lied."

"Don't push her around like that." Terry pushes Bobby by the shoulder. Bobby turns and swings at Terry with his iced fist. As the fist comes closer Terry's eyes begin to glow just before it hits him, he grabs Bobby's fist in mid-air causing the ice to shatter and evaporate while with his other hand, he punches Bobby in the face sending him flying backwards a few feet, land on his back. "I told you to chill." Rogue stunned at what she just saw she rushes over to Bobby's side and helps him up and they both leave the room. "Rogue, wait. Damn!" he steps back and sits on the bed. A leaf sails in through the open window behind the bed and lands right next the journal. A gust of wind blows the leaf on to the page covering the unfinished word then it burns away, revealing the phrase _I want to say its love, No, it is love._


End file.
